Majdouline SBAI

Policy topics Majdouline SBAI is active on

What Majdouline SBAI has said (30)

• 2026-01-16 “E-000185/2026 Answer given by Mr Šefčovič on behalf of the European Commission The Commission fully respects the principle of sincere cooperation among the EU institutions and, in particular, the role of the European Parliament in the conclusion process of trade agreements. Through its proposals for Council decisions on the signing and conclusion, adopted on 3 September 2025 1 , the Commission upheld its political commitment to propose to the Council that the provisional application of the EU–Mercosur Interim Trade Agreement (ITA) occurs only once the European Parliament has been given the opportunity to express its consent. On 9 January 2026, the Council adopted a decision on signing and provisional application of the ITA 2 . According to that decision, the ITA shall be provisionally applied when one or more signatory Mercosur states have finalised their respective internal procedures and have notified the EU of the completion of their respective internal procedures necessary for the provisional application of the ITA and confirm their agreement to apply the ITA on a provisional basis. The step of notification of provisional application by the EU to the relevant signatory Mercosur states would not take place before that point in time. To date, no exchange of notifications has occurred, as the internal procedures necessary for the provisional application and/or ratification procedures in the Mercosur countries have just started. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52025PC0339&qid=1771342152814. 2 https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-12417-2025-REV-1/en/pdf.”
  Trade relations with Mercosur
• 2025-10-20 “E-004124/2025 Answer given by Mr Šefčovič on behalf of the European Commission The Commission consulted Member States in July 2025 regarding a proposal to impose provisional safeguard measures on imports of certain alloying elements. As a result of the consultation, it was decided not to impose provisional measures. Nevertheless, given the complexity of this case due to the structure of the EU industry and the characteristics of the product concerned, also requiring a proper balancing of all the relevant elements concerning the EU interest, the Commission decided to extend the deadline and continue the investigation, which led to the imposition of definitive safeguard measures on 18 November 2025. In order to impose safeguard measures, EU law requires a demonstration through an in-depth investigation that an increase in imports is causing serious injury to domestic producers. This entails a thorough analysis and verification of many elements that have an impact on the situation of the EU industry. These include economic factors such as production, sales, profits/losses but also aspects such as current imbalances in international trade, developments in global prices and import trends. The investigation has also to offer procedural rights for all interested parties to make their views known. Thus, a complex case like the one on alloying elements requires all the time available under EU law for the consideration of definitive measures. In the Joint Communication on Strengthening EU Economic Security 1 , adopted on 3 December 2025, the Commission recognised the need to evaluate the effectiveness and adequacy of the existing tools, and to strengthen the protection of the industry from unfair trade policies and negative global market developments. 1 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_2889.”
  EU policy on custom fee on non-EU imports
• 2025-07-18 “E-002996/2025 Answer given by Mr Tzitzikostas on behalf of the European Commission In its Recommendation of 22 May 2025 on transport poverty 1 , the Commission recommended to Member States to ‘consider providing vulnerable transport users and vulnerable microenterprises with access to new and second hand zero-emission vehicles, through measures such as social leasing schemes, coupled with the deployment of charging infrastructure.’ The Commission has not concluded any impact studies on the inclusion of used vehicles in social leasing schemes. It is the responsibility of the Member States under the Social Climate Fund Regulation (EU) 2023/955 2 to decide whether and which social leasing scheme is best suited for its national plans under the Social Climate Fund 3 . The Commission has provided guidance on the implementation of the Social Climate Fund, including on leasing of zeroemission vehicles, which also covers second hand zero emission vehicles. The specific matter at hand, on how to precisely include second hand vehicles in social leasing schemes, is the responsibility of Member States. The Commission does not envisage any Union legislation on the matter. 1 Commission Recommendation (EU) 2025/1021 of 22 May 2025 on transport poverty: ensuring affordable, accessible and fair mobility. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reco/2025/1021/oj/eng. 2 Regulation (EU) 2023/955 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 establishing a Social Climate Fund and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, OJ L 130, 16.5.2023. 3 Commission Notice, Guidance on the Social Climate Plans, C(2025) 881 final, p. 42.”
  EU funding for transportation · Road transport environmental policy
• 2025-06-26 “E-002595/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Séjourné on behalf of the European Commission The subgroup on Financing under the Critical Raw Materials Board has met twice so far, with minutes of both meetings available on the Commission website 1 . The second meeting included a presentation of the 47 selected Strategic Projects in the EU and a discussion on how they can be supported financially. The minutes list the observers that attended the meetings of the subgroup, which also included financial institutions. The status of Strategic Project under the Critical Raw Materials does not give automatic access to financing. Every financial institution in the subgroup will need to conduct their own due diligence procedure if they were to invest in such projects. Similarly, to receive support under the Innovation Fund 2 , Strategic Projects need to apply in open call for proposals, fulfil all requirements of the Fund and score sufficiently high to be awarded grants. The Commission monitors all selected Strategic Projects and has recalled to project promoters that it can withdraw the recognition as a Strategic Project following the requirements under Article 7(11) of the Critical Raw Materials Act 3 . 1 https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/raw-materials/areas-specific-interest/critical-rawmaterials/critical-raw-materials-act/board_en. 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0856-20231121. 3 Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020 (Text with EEA relevance).”
  Sourcing of critical raw materials
• 2025-06-26 “E-002596/2025 Answer given by Mr McGrath on behalf of the European Commission The Commission takes the issues of corporate responsibility and accountability seriously and has contributed to establishing frameworks such as Directive 2014/95/EU 1 to improve corporate disclosure of social and environmental information. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive 2022/2464 (CSRD) 2 broadens the scope, mandates EU Sustainability Reporting Standards and enhances consistency and comparability in sustainability reporting. With the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive 2024/1760 (CSDDD) 3 , the Commission sets clear expectations for large companies to regularly identify and address potential and actual adverse human rights and environmental impacts. The obligations aim to prevent benefiting from or contributing to violence and extortion, amongst others. In shaping the CSDDD, the EU institutions were guided by Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union and Article 191 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, as reflected by their inclusion in Recitals 1 and 2 of the CSDDD. Preventing fragmentation was one of the main aims of the CSDDD and it was reinforced in the proposal COM(2025) 81 final 4 , which makes more provisions subject to full harmonisation. The Commission is committed to enhancing and simplifying, not weakening, directives related to due diligence, sustainability reporting, and taxonomy. The proposal COM(2025) 81 final aims to ensure that European companies contribute positively to sustainable development and respect for human rights including labour rights, and the environment globally, while remaining competitive by doing so in the most cost-efficient way. 1 Directive 2014/95/EU amending Directive 2013/34/EU as regards disclosure of non-financial and diversity information by certain large undertakings and groups. 2 Directive (EU) 2022/2464 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 amending Regulation (EU) No 537/2014, Directive 2004/109/EC, Directive 2006/43/EC and Directive 2013/34/EU, as regards corporate sustainability reporting. 3 Directive 2024/1760 on corporate sustainability due diligence. 4 Proposal for a Directive amending Directives 2006/43/EC, 2013/34/EU, 2022/2464 and 2024/1760 as regards certain corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements.”
  Due diligence in supply chains (environmental and human rights) · Sustainable corporate governance
• 2025-03-12 “P-001069/2025 Answer given by Mr Síkela on behalf of the European Commission Information on Global Gateway and its flagship projects is available on the European Commission’s website 1 , which also provides links to approved action documents. EU Delegations also regularly facilitate dialogue with civil society and the private sector in partner countries, sharing information on EU investments. The European Parliament is kept informed both through its observer role on the Global Gateway Board and its participation in the strategic board for the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+), main Commission tool for mobilising investments. As regards the selection of Strategic Projects under the Critical Raw Materials (CRM) Act 2 , the evaluation is conducted by external experts with professional expertise in the technical, financial, environmental, social and governance dimensions. In line with Article 7 of the CRM Act, the proposed list of Strategic Projects is then presented for the opinion of the CRM Board chaired by the Commission and composed of Member States, with the European Parliament as an observer. The final list is then adopted by a Commission Decision. The contribution of EUR 900 million in a Team Europe approach (EU, Member States, European Investment Bank) for Global Gateway projects was announced in a communiqué from the President of the Commission on 18 December 2023 3 . The funding will support four Global Gateway Initiatives on green deal, connectivity, health and education 4 . They won’t be directly or indirectly linked to the mining sector as they target inclusive and sustainable agricultural transformation, youth led innovation and green investment in Rwandan cities, vaccines, medicines and health technologies, and early childhood services. 1 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/publications-library/global-gateway-flagship-projectsinfographics_en 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202401252 3 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_6724 4 https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/rwanda/global-gateway-rwanda_en?s=115”
  EU Development & Humanitarian Aid · Global priorities for international development
• 2025-02-04 “P-000489/2025 Answer given by Mr Síkela on behalf of the European Commission The Memorandum of Understanding (‘MoU’) on a strategic partnership on sustainable raw materials value chains with Rwanda is a key tool to address illicit trafficking and to promote a sustainable and responsible sourcing and processing of raw materials. The MoU signed with Rwanda 1 is in line with the EU’s renewed Great Lakes Strategy 2 . The MoU has provided a platform to encourage Rwandan authorities to adhere to the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative 3 . Its suspension would remove the basis for this engagement with Rwanda on improving transparency and traceability. The EU is taking measures to ensure full application of the Due Diligence Directive 4 and compliance with the obligations under the Conflict Minerals Regulation 5 . The Conflict Minerals Regulation lays down supply chain due diligence obligations for importers into the EU of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold (3TG). The Regulation has a focus on conflict-affected and high-risk areas, but regardless of the geographic location, due diligence should be carried out. In view of the current situation, all options are up for consideration in the reflection with Member States on how the EU should respond, including on the MoU, as discussed during the Foreign Affairs Council of 24 February 2025 6 . Any measures should be coordinated between the EU, Member States, as well as with multilateral donors. 1 https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/58035 2 https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-6631-2023-INIT/en/pdf 3 https://eiti.org/ 4 Directive (EU) 2024/1760 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on corporate sustainability due diligence and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 and Regulation (EU) 2023/2859, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1760/oj/eng 5 Regulation (EU) 2017/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2017 laying down supply chain due diligence obligations for Union importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2017/821/oj/eng 6 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/fac/2025/02/24/”
  Due diligence in supply chains (environmental and human rights) · EU response to conflict-affected mineral supply chains
• 2025-01-31 “P-000436/2025 Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Kallas on behalf of the European Commission The EU is continuously engaging with the Cambodian authorities and relevant stakeholders on the ground as well as in all available international fora. On 21 November 2023, the Commission published a Report on EU Enhanced Engagement with Cambodia 1 , which contains a public assessment of the developments in Cambodia in the areas of concern. A detailed discussion took place at the 12th EU-Cambodia Joint Committee and its Subcommittees held in Brussels on 22-25 April 2024. A substantial discussion covered inter alia civil and political, labour and women’s rights. Regarding the Everything But Arms trade scheme, the EU’s current focus is on implementation of the decision taken in 2020 to partially withdraw preferences 2 . The EU will also continue to support human rights and democracy in Cambodia through its cooperation instruments. The EU Delegation and Member States continue to engage with diverse civil society actors and monitor court hearings of human rights defenders, politicians and activists. In 2024, the EU managed eleven grants addressing a broad range of human rights issues including inter alia freedom of expression, labour rights and in support of networks of civil society organisations, and support to human rights defenders. 1 https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/documents-register/detail?ref=SWD(2023)360&lang=en 2 Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/550 of 12 February 2020, OJ L127 of 22.4.2020, p.1.”
  EU-Cambodia relations
• 2024-12-17 “E-002999/2024 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission Agendas and minutes of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) – Section Novel Food and Toxicological Safety of the Food Chain are published in the comitology register 1 of the Commission. The same applies to draft proposals which are presented for vote in the Committee, facilitating scrutiny by the Parliament. No minutes are however prepared and published in the case of meetings of the Working Group on Industrial and Environmental contaminants in food or any other Working Group meetings on food contaminants. Experts from the competent authorities of the Member States attend meetings of ScoPAFF and Working Groups, and their identity is subject to the requirements for personal data protection. The enforcement of EU maximum levels on contaminants in foods, in accordance with the requirements provided for in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/931 2 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/932 3 , is under the responsibility of the Member States. 1 https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/comitology-register/screen/committees/C20408/consult?lang=en 2 Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/931 of 23 March 2022 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council by laying down rules for the performance of official controls as regards contaminants in food OJ L 162, 17.6.2022, p. 7–12 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2022/931/oj 3 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/932 of 9 June 2022 on uniform practical arrangements for the performance of official controls as regards contaminants in food, on specific additional content of multiannual national control plans and specific additional arrangements for their OJ L 162, 17.6.2022, p. 13–22 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2022/932/oj”
  GMOs
• “Chair, colleagues, I'd like to begin by stating a reality. Often women are afraid of their own bodies. Uh, endometriosis. Breast cancer. Ovarian cancer at every point in their lives, biology is unjustly affecting their daily lives. However, a lot of these problems are ignored in prevention policies and research when it comes to public health priorities, and even at European level, they are ignored. When it comes to ovarian cancer, we know that the risk factors are not only genetic or hormonal, we also have environmental risk factors, uh, exposure to silica dust, uh, greenhouse gases, organic solvents that they might be exposed to in their professional work, etc.. So how exactly can these factors be taken into account when it comes to prevention policies? Also, we have delayed diagnoses or lack of information as well as unequal access to healthcare. So the result is the following that often, uh, early detection or treatment remains rare. I think it's very important to massively invest in public research on gynecological pathologies. Women's health needs to be a political priority for Europe. It cannot just be an adjustment variable. So we would work with you to get specific commitments. My questions now. Firstly, what are the obstacles according to you when it comes to early detection of ovarian cancer at European level, as the European level and as the European Union, how exactly can we contribute to doing away with these obstacles? Secondly, when it comes to women's health, especially when it comes to reproductive and gynaecological issues, do you think that these are issues that require further funding or more funding within EU research programmes? Women's health is a major issue. It's a political priority. It's an emergency. So thank you very much for the information you provided today. Thank you.”
  Sexuality and reproduction
• “Thank you. Chairman. Mr. president. We are worried you will have understood. You know, that some Member states and some regions within member states, such as mine, have suffered in recent decades the Chinese economic offensive in textiles and certain key sectors. Look at the statistics for May 2025. Plus 80%, uh, exports from China to Estonia. Same situation uh, in Cyprus, Bulgaria, Uh, Denmark. The import, the, uh, customs, uh, tariffs have been as pushing the Chinese to find a new outlets. Uh, we see a new, uh, Chinese, uh, shock. The economic situation in, uh, China is being pushed to, uh, inundate, uh, the world markets because their own markets can't absorb, uh, the, uh, the excess. So now we hear that a task force is being set up. Yes, but how long will it take? I was, uh, a business leader before I came here. I know that companies can, uh, die off and different sectors of activity can die off. The vice president of the European Parliament. Uh, Commissioner Sajjan told us yesterday to what extent that irreversibility is real in certain sectors that need a considerable investment. Second question were the instrument for trade defence. Those instruments have been, uh, modernised. It was more than ten years ago though. We need safeguards, but they're insufficient given the limit, the limited duration in time. Is the Commission going to modernise those tools?”
  Chinese clean tech competition: trade barriers and investment caps vs. open market · Trade relations with China
• “I'm going to speak French. I have three questions. The first concerns the way in which you approach the issue of vulnerability, ecological vulnerability. It will come as no surprise that I raised that subject here. We know that extreme climate conditions and the evolution of climate in general, access to water, pandemics, all these things are important factors that can have a considerable impact on our supply chain, value chains, our businesses, and on a certain number of territories. There are risks in terms of areas that are going to be flooded in the future. That is a reality. So how are you dealing with that issue? Second thing on supply of critical raw materials. That's an issue that you mentioned. Director. There is an NGO that has just, um, lodged an appeal with the media following the announcement of strategic projects on 27th of March recently. Um, the issue of access to documents on environmental and social sustainability of the projects was rejected for reasons of, um, commercial confidentiality. That is a real problem as far as we're concerned. So we have a number of questions there. Are you envisaging? Um, changing responses to from the commission as Co-legislator, we'd like to play an active role in that regard. My third question concerns Democratic vulnerability. Of course, I could talk about Mercosur and sort of a mobilization of the farming community, but I'm talking about steel. There's a safety sort of clause on imports of steel that was presented by Commissioner John. We think that's a good thing. And in fact, this afternoon we'll be meeting with industrialism, the steel sector in Ghent. Is that project going to be sort of, um, finalised soon? Because I think it's urgent.”
  Sourcing of critical raw materials
• “Colleagues. The 4th of April, 2025. China banned rare earth exports. For decades now, we've left China to be in a virtually monopoly situation for rare earth. 61% of production, 82% of processing. You have a hard choice. Now. Either you do an opaque deal with a dealer that we've been feeding for decades, or you heed the pleas of the workers from the industries that sacrificed at this altar. At the G7, Ursula von der Leyen said. This is totally clear. The Uyghurs have been enslaved. What about self-determination of peoples? Where is our strategic autonomy? They're this neocolonial, extractive ism. With a circular economy and environmental considerations, with protection for workers would be able to not sacrifice people in these ways. We need a unified, democratic and independent Europe, which is free of that influence from China.”
  EU-China relations
• “Thank you very much. Thank you very much for your presentation. And thank you very much for organizing this exchange chair. Trade and international trade can lead to co-development and solidarity ties. So we're talking about co-prosperity and sustainable prosperity, um, for all those involved. Now this ex-post evaluation that we're talking about, I have questions as to the overall balance. The starting point or starting assumption seems to be that the economic partners are on equal footing and that there is certain predictability on what can happen. But I think this creates a kind of optimism that could be complicated at this Um, juncture. Arcelormittal has a huge AGM in France at the moment because we might be losing all our blast furnaces in France. If you look at the, um, evaluations, the ex-ante evaluations before Mercosur, you'll see that, uh, many will suffer. So I think that this is the question that we have to ask ourselves that we have to take political decisions on. I think these domestic advisory groups, these domestic advisory groups, need to be more involved so that we can look at the agreements. And the same applies to regions with regional authorities, local authorities that deal with trade data. In France, we have a plethora of trade data that could help us assess the local impact of our trade agreements. We'd like to know more about civil Society and Civil society forum. This civil society forum could go further, so I'd appreciate more information and I'd like to share two concerns. One is on employment. If you look at employment in general, you can't see employment as an adjustment variable because employment in industry is not the same as a job in logistics. In my region, we've had this change. We've moved from industrial jobs to logistics jobs that are less skilled and less well paid. So we've got worse jobs, if you like, as replacement jobs. And now when it comes to TSD, we feel very strongly about this. We have to continue having this TSD evaluation and this regular assessment of the impact we have. Thank you.”
  Trade relations with Mercosur
• “Thank you, thank you. I just had to pop out for a vote. Very sorry. In your presentation, Commissioner, you asked us to not be afraid. I admit that I am afraid. I am afraid for farmers and breeders in Europe because you talked about forecasts, volumes on the EU market, but we don't have the same figures because for premium meat, the French Senate made forecasts. And uh, to date, 50% of the European market would be imported from South America. And this is a type of a meat that can create value and afraid for investment, for disinvestment and thinking about Assam et al. Which is linked to the Mercosur agreement because they have a green steel making factories in those countries. And I'm afraid for our health because at the moment, checks and guarantees is something you talked about. You talked about simplifying import procedures, but does that mean fewer checks and greater facilities for products arriving in Europe that are damaging to our health? And you also said that you think that the commission believes that we need this agreement and that it will be beneficial, but we want to be sure also thinking about openness of the Mercosur market to European industry. Some people are saying more cars would be sold. Some are we're talking about only 17,000 vehicles that would be exported to Mercosur countries. So can you say more? Give us more figures, more facts to reassure us that the questions we're asking should not lead to us to have fear or anxiety?”
  Trade relations with Mercosur
• “Colleagues. Commissioner, are you aware of estradiol 17? It's a steroid based hormone produced by the placenta and follicles in the body. But it's used to fatten animals. In 2013, residues of this were found in surface water and in our in our bodies wisely. It has been banned in Europe and we can't bring in meat which contains it. Oestrogen 17 can lead to breast cancer development. It's actually the biggest cause of cancer among people who don't smoke. Last month, we heard from the commission saying that the Mercosur countries do use estradiol and that there was railings in their checks. What are you going to do? Are you going to establish a compensation fund to deal with this hormone? At the moment? Well, I mean, there's no way to help these women, these women whose lives have been affected.”
  Import of agri-food products in the EU
• “Thank you. Chair. Thank you to the rapporteur and thank you for these discussions. I on behalf of the Greens, I do not share your optimism. Since the beginning of the negotiations. Ep's are not win wins and they do not meet and serve the interests of the EU You and those of our company. And so the partnership agreement that is a traditional one, and it does not reflect current policy of the Committee on the Sustainable Development chapter. It is anachronistic. And those hardest hit are those by climate change are those hardest hits. And so there is a revision clause that enables liberty to exert pressure to further liberalisation. And in terms of service, trade and access to procurement. And given the imbalance on the negotiating power between ACP states and the EU, the negative outcomes on national um economies will likely ensue. Our group voted against the interim partnership agreement between the EU and the Pacific Perfect date and since there is no improvement, we will vote against this file. But we would like to see. If the Commission is really engaged to civil development, to not activate the revision clause within the next five years, and if that commitment cannot be taken. What objectives, what scopes, what process do you expect for this clause? Thank you.”
  Free trade agreements (FTAs)
• “Thank you very much, chairman. Minister, you didn't speak very much about prevention. But the key goal in health for health, public health policy is to stop us from being ill. According to the W.H.O., 1.4 million deaths in Europe are due to toxic chemical products in our detergents, cosmetics, our clothes and our food. Now, given this fact, it's urgent to revise the Reach regulations so it's more demanding and so that there are more checks and controls, especially on imported products. Your colleagues said that it's on the agenda, but I'm very concerned because you didn't mention it. And president Mr. Prime Minister Orban has a very, very extreme approach to environmental regulations. Now we need to review the Reach Regulations in an ambitious manner. Are you going to do that or are you going to close your eyes to these silent deaths? Thank you.”
  Chemicals regulation
• “Commissioner. Dear colleagues, a few days ago in Brussels, trades unions from all over Europe, but told us that 300,000 jobs in steel and automotive are at risk. There is an alliance now. There's an alliance between those who lie to the workers and just want shareholders and billionaires to reap the benefits. Musk for the Sakharov Prize. Deregulate markets, particularly digital. Go all out for cryptocurrencies, but at the same time vote against strengthening trade union rights and workers rights in companies. Governance. Overcoming the gender pay gap, stopping attempts to combat youth unemployment, vigilance. While human rights in Asia or elsewhere is combating unfair competitiveness and unfair competition and supporting the Europe. All these lies from the right are poison for our democracy. The accomplices today will also be accomplices when that collapses.”
  EU regulation on worker representation in company decisions
• “Commissioner, colleagues, with this plan, the European Commission is trying to stem the crisis in the steel and aluminium sector. Look at ArcelorMittal in France. Many, many jobs were under threat there. Commissioner, you've said that Europe must no longer be the the plaything of other parts of the world. If that is not just going to be wishful thinking, then we need to clamp down on unfair trade from China and other parts of the world, and we need to focus on implementing Cbam. We need to focus on working with the regions. And and we have some 500, uh, car production sites, which are also very important. Then we need to look at the decisions made by the employers of steel. They mustn't just depend on us when we when we invest in green steel, we hope that this plan will be fruitful. We hope that we won't just go from crisis to crisis. Instead, we need to have a strategy for our sector, and we need to have a strategy that completely involves the workers.”
  Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
• “Good morning, chairman. And thank you very much, Commissioner. Dear colleagues. Uh. Now you talk about rare earths and critical materials and the extraction thereof, and how we deal with third countries. Now, if we need these materials, it's because they're in there everywhere. They're omnipresent, and the circular economy is part of your strategy. But what is missing, as I see it from your vision, is that when you talk about circular economy, you talk about recycling and reuse. But the circular economy is really more about the not over consuming. Now 40,000 smartphones are in our drawers. They're not being used. And on average we'd be used ten minutes over the lifetime of a person. So I do think we need to make sure that we don't overconsume. So my approach is pretty straightforward. How are you going to integrate that dimension in your strategy to limit our dependence and Dependence on the extraction of these materials. And this throughout the whole value chain. My second point is specifically on the extraction of critical raw materials across the world. And again, if you see look at the controversial project such as the one with Serbia, then it is lacking in information.”
  Sourcing of critical raw materials
• “Thank you for this exchange of views. And thank you for having described this serious and deep seated crisis that the steel industry in France and Europe is going through. This week, the director of ArcelorMittal France spoke to the French parliament and announced a threat to all ArcelorMittal s sites in Europe. We've reached a record levels of low cost imports into Europe, as you recalled this year. What effective measure can there be to fight off this unfair competition? What are you going to do? Let's be very specific. The Dunkirk ArcelorMittal plant, a leader in decarbonisation. It was announced by the director, would see its investment plans put off now. This. Without investment, the site deteriorates. I've spoken to the workforce. They're just clearing up at the moment and there are leaks from the converters. There was a fairly A serious fire on the site at in January. These are blast furnaces are under threat and so are 6000 jobs. I think there's an urgent need to act to ensure that we avoid a catastrophic situation.”
  Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
• “Now you've come along to the monitoring groups and explained to us that this is compatible with the conditions that are spelt out in the Critical raw Material Act when it comes to social rights, democracy and environmental aspects, and you should be justifying those types of statements. How is the Commission planning on doing that then and by when? Now the Commission has said that it's going to use independent experts to assess the projects that have been selected. Now a strategic mining project. Makes it easy to open up mines, minds, of course, and we appreciate that there are massive economic interests at stake for private companies. So could you tell us who these experts are going to be? And could we also have access and a more detailed account of how they're going to be going about their work. And then just one last point. The regional and national entities that have been consulted as part of the selection for strategic extraction of raw materials. Could you tell us how that consultation went? It's important to know, before we start with these mining activities, which might go against the values that we uphold. Thank you.”
  Sourcing of critical raw materials
• “Thank you very much. Now my second intervention is to do with the contradiction as I see it. When we're talking about strengthening our internal market and at the same time trying to enter into these free trade agreements at this tremendous speed, which show something the European Commission is keen on now to pick up on your line of thinking and a sector by sector approach. Let me pick up on the steel sector. You'll be familiar with the blast furnace situation in France, ArcelorMittal, and in the trade agreements that are being negotiated, for example, with India. Have you worked out carefully what the impact on European steel would be, particularly if we think about the new Trump tariff policy? Now, if we turn our attention to agriculture, have you thought seriously about what would happen with Mercosur, Australia and other commercial trade agreements that are being entered into in the agriculture sector and what the cumulative effect would be on Europe? The other thing I'd like to share with you is that I think that when it comes to this approach of strengthening the internal market, it's the right way to go about responding. Responding to the situation with American policy because they know that by increasing intra European trade by 0.12%, we'll be able to compensate the effect of compensate for the effects of the new American policy. So this by European for the automobile sector is important. And how are you going to deploy that strategy? I very much like to tell you about what is happening with, uh, companies in Europe today. And ArcelorMittal, uh, has a situation, uh, and this Thursday, there's a sense of things being profoundly unfair, because what they're seeing is how vulnerable European industry is. And we're hearing a lot about industrial autonomy, but it's not actually being put into place. So, uh, the distribution sector, in addition to steel, is continuing to suffer because of the, um, e-commerce, uh, being allowed to, to get away with things. People are feeling betrayed and we must now get our skates on.”
  Free trade agreements (FTAs)
• “Colleagues. Listening to some of you, I wonder where you grew up. I grew up in a place which has lost tens of thousands of industrial jobs in 2 in 20 years, as a result of relocation of manufacturing to third countries, as well as the economic transformation underway now with the, uh, now with the Green Deal, the decarbonization, decarbonization of our economy. We're actually doing something which is an opportunity for our industry. So yes, to Made in Europe, yes to expanding charging stations. And companies have paid out millions in dividends. It's time now to invest in eco mobility.”
  EV charging infrastructure · Energy (green transition)
• “Madam president. Commissioner, Our president colleagues. One woman out of ten in Europe lives with endometriosis. 1 in 10 suffers from chronic pain, uh, debilitating pain that affects her day to day life. Her work, her, um, romantic life and endometriosis is responsible for a number of fertility cases as well. And yet you have to wait seven years for a diagnosis. Seven years to be told that, uh, what? You're to understand what? You're suffering from suffering in silence. This is not acceptable. Imagine if this affected men every month. They felt, uh, a pain similar to giving birth without an epidural. There would be a European plan. There'd be huge amounts invested. But 10% of Europeans affected have not had this opportunity. Although some progress has been made, it doesn't seem to be going to get better soon. And yet the commission And is not is allowing. Endocrine disruptors. These are available in day to day products and impact women's hormone systems. So I would ask for the commission to speak in favor of a European strategy against endometriosis. Madam Commissioner, do you think that Europe will be able to help to contribute to finding a cure for endometriosis? Imagine if we could ensure a social and employment inclusion for sufferers. We would change the lives of Europeans and of future generations in Europe.”
  Sexuality and reproduction
• “Thank you. Commissioner. My question is on the review of the Reach regulation. This regulates the 100,000 chemical substances that are present on the European market, which are potentially harmful to health and the environment. The Commission has said that it plans to add an administrative, an additional administrative procedure, before taking protection measures against these substances. This is called the analysis of options for regulatory management. It's a procedural step for some of the most polluting companies, who want to have an additional step to try to market their products on top of this. Mr.. You've said that reach regulation was too slow and not efficient. So how do you see any consistency here in adding this additional administrative step? Can you guarantee that this step for analyzing the regulatory management will not be added? And then today, um, on ArcelorMittal, just very briefly because I've already gone beyond my speaking team speaking time. But it's, um urgent. What's happening here? It's a race against time. And if you, uh, want to say something, we are willing to support you in order to ensure that France does not lose its furnaces. We're very. They're very important to us.”
  Chemicals regulation
• “Commissioner. The future of industry will be environmentally sound and social. Or won't happen at all. Here in the far right, there are saying the opposite. But you can't manipulate this the way you manipulate information, usually. But it's not the environment. It's unfair competition that I'm worried about. It's fossil fuels and spending money on that. They really do make us very fragile in this context. So we need to protect our internal markets. We need to support purchasing for Europeans. And we've got 300,000 jobs that are going to be lost in the automobile sector. And in France, we call this profit privatization and collateralisation of losses, which is totally unjust and is leading to a rise in populism. So we need to have certain conditions apply to the support for companies to make sure that they protect their employees. That is what is at stake.”
  EU policy on social criteria in public funding
• “Indispensable critical raw materials are vital for our energy and industrial transition. Sovereignty of those products. Independence of our industrial processes. Recycling of these materials should be at the heart of our strategy. In the strategy used today, the priority goes to the extractive industries by the Commission. And that has meant that in third countries there's worrying opaqueness. We're very worried about the respect of human environmental rights there, and even more worried when we see that due diligence and traceability requirements in the value chain is now threatened in our institution. A few months ago, we moved from concern to anger when we saw the conflict in the DRC intensifying with the Rwanda, with Rwanda funding armed militia. Obviously, we need to suspend our agreement with them, and as co-legislators, we'd like to look at everything that's been done there. Thank you.”
  Sourcing of critical raw materials
• “Colleagues. 12 million packages that are exempt for customs. Enter our territory every day. Cian and Tim are always going to be cheaper and faster. But at what price? We're becoming addicted. They have created the supply chain. That is almost like a game. In France, there was a fine of some 40 million years because, uh, there has been false advertising through false discounts. They have shown misleading pricing on their websites. You can see it on their platforms. They're not in compliance with the prices. They're not in compliance with the standards. They sell toxic cosmetics, they sell counterfeit goods. The list could go on. And the conclusions of NGOs and the press with respect to human rights violations, show us that it is the workers in Asia and also in Europe who pay the price. Stores are closing down, town centres are becoming deserted. So thank you very much for this report to which we contributed. The message is crystal clear. Let's apply the rules and do it before it's too late.”
  Due diligence in supply chains (environmental and human rights)